It is quite common in India, to have sellers and vendors surround you while you are at any tourist spot in the country, in a bid to buy something from them. Forget vendors, even taxi or cab drivers, rickshaw drivers surround you outside a station, especially when they realise you are a tourist. A similar thing happening in the land of pyramids will now be fined at £400! Egypt's parliament has passed a law this week that anyone found pestering visitors at tourist places will be fined. The ruling was approved by the Antiquities Protection Law on Monday, April 23.

According to a report in Egypt Independent, The Minister of Archeology, Khaled al-Anani, said ‘there is no deterrent so far for those who carry out such acts that badly affects tourism.' Egypt is home to some of the most amazing archaeological monuments. The ancient pyramids and museums here are a common place to visit of all tourists but no more will you find the local vendors annoying you to buy souvenirs. Off late, however, the revenues had been falling. The government is making serious efforts to protect the fragile state of the economy through tourism. The new law will in a way at least clamp down on people begging/promoting services while tourists visit the spots.

However, not everyone is happy with this new move. An Egyptian tour guide from Luxor, said the law would target people “fighting for food, fighting to feed their families. I’ve never really heard of the law achieving anything here,” he said in a report in The Guardian. While a former minister feels the punishment levied now is not enough. There is a belief that these people pester tourists to an extent of causing trouble and even harming the overall income of the tourist economy.

The new move will show in time if it affects the tourism. But a move so strong needs to be definitely adapted in India. The temples in the country have beggers lined up, the airports and stations have cab drivers and other tourist spots have vendors calling out, some following to buy the souvenirs. High time, the legislation takes notice and plans some similar implementation.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Apr 25, 2018 07:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).